Galibier Lautaret Insulated Jacket

The Galibier Lautaret Insulated Jacket is another good value garment from the Irish company, and is great for cool but dry rides that value chats over watts. It has a sprinkling of well-thought-out details to keep the chill at bay, although the cut of its jib is more towards the casual end of riding than smashing out off-season miles, and its lack of any waterproofing will limit use.

> Buy now: Galibier Lautaret Insulated Jacket for £72.12 from Galibier

It’s designed as a hybrid garment, meaning it’s bit jersey and bit jacket. A torso of quilted synthetic insulation keeps your core toasty with targeted warmth, while the sleeves and sides use two layers of SuperRoubaix to provide more flexible and snug-fitting cosiness.

It’s a combination that really works, and the extra thickness, thermal and windproof capabilities of the body of the jacket are noticeable as soon as you turn into a nippy north wind, while the thinner-material arms ensure there’s no bothersome flapping there.

The jacket doesn’t boast any waterproof or even water-resistant properties so it’s best suited to those rare bright but chill days that can sometimes come as a blessing in the bleaker months of the year and are an absolute joy when it turns to spring. Galibier says that the Lautaret is good for temperatures between 4 and 14°C, and with judicious use of a variety of baselayer thermal qualities and personal thermostats I’d agree with that, although it might be a little too toasty for the upper end of that range.

For all its warmth it’s a light jacket, and certainly doesn’t carry the heft or firmness of many winter jerseys, and this makes it incredibly easy to wear. It’s breathable enough to hold onto its warmth over the course of many multi-hour rides in single figure temperatures without becoming clammy and cold.

> How to dress for spring cycling — tips on choosing the best gear for the most of unpredictable season

The obvious downside to the jacket is that lack of waterproof or even resistant capabilities, which might significantly limit its use, although the synthetic fill material will retain warmth when wet if you do get caught out.

Fabric and features

For a well-priced top Galibier hasn’t skimped on the details to cut costs. There’s a large pull tab on the two-way YKK zip so it’s easy to use with fat-fingered winter gloves, and that zip has a storm flap behind it to fend off the breeze plus a dock at the top to prevent chin scuffs.

The collar is good and high and it does a noticeable job of keeping the wind off your neck. The fabric in the rear third is a lighter weight fleece to conform more comfortably to a cricked neck. Ideally the collar could be a bit more tailored towards the front as it can bunch up under your chin when you’re in the drops, but for the price of the top I’m happy to let that be.

The cuffs are elasticised and there’s an extended inner hem that sits right against the skin, providing an effective seal to halt breezes and keep in warmth.

There are a few reflective details: a strip on the right rear pocket, the zip tab, and the Galibier roundel in the rear middle pocket has a degree of reflectivity too.

The standard three rear pockets on the dropped tail are capacious, with an elastic hem at the top that keeps your ride knick-knacks secure. There’s also a large waterproof pocket on the front to store valuables in, which might come in handy as the rear pockets did seem to do a good job of holding onto moisture, making my phone sweatier than it usually gets.

If this deep red and dark grey isn’t to your colour palette Galibier offers a navy and gold option. Even though it’s decorated with a few Galibier logos (the embroidered ones on the chest and sleeve have an old school charm), the quilted torso doesn’t scream ‘cycling’ so it fits in well down the cafe or pub, if that’s your post- or mid-ride habit. In that manner it would make a great active travel top too.

Size & fit

Size-wise, the Galibier chart puts me right between small and medium, and as I’m mostly a medium I plumped for that. The fit is generally good. The arms are more than long enough as Galibier has thoughtfully cut them for riding, ensuring there’s no tiresome breezy wrist gap, and they even manage to cling tightly to my pipe-cleaner arms.

The jacket fits well top to bottom but on me it’s a little loose around the middle of the body, though not enough to be annoying – apart from when the rear pockets are full to bulging, when things get a little waggy out back.

I am a stringy lean thing so if you’re in possession of things like muscles and a tummy you’ll probably find it fits fine, and for a top that is described as easy fitting and encourages steady miles over aero gainz, it’s a minor niggle. I might be able to sneak into a small but the shoulders on the medium did feel a little tight when stretched down in the drops.

Value

At just over £70, the Lautaret Insulated Jacket is great value compared with similar options out there.

The Gorewear Spinshift Thermo Long Sleeve Jersey, for example, is £144.99. It’s similar in that it’s a bit jersey a bit jacket, with the torso lined with a medium pile fleece and lighter insulation on the back and arms. Essentially it’s a jersey with a permanent warm gilet over the top and Hollis loved it. There is a bit of weather protection in a DWR coating, though, and the fit and cut is pure long and slim cycling if the Galibier top is a bit too casual for you.

The Vulpine Men’s Ultralight Quilted Jacket is more of a warm padded affair with a nod to cycling in it than the Galibier’s cycling designed fit, but it’s also more than twice the price at £150.

The Endura PrimaLoft Jacket is a similar cycling top, with a PrimaLoft Gold synthetic fill to the torso to maximise insulation and a lighter PrimaLoft Gold fill in the arms for flexibility. Again it’s over double the price of the Galibier at £169.99, but the fit is snugger and it comes with a water-repellent finish.

Conclusion

The Lautaret jacket is a great value bit of kit for chill and dry days, with lots of well-thought-out details that belie its price. Its more casual look and fit will please many, though the lack of any waterproofing will definitely limit use.

> Buy now: Galibier Lautaret Insulated Jacket for £72.12 from Galibier

Verdict

Great value jacket, though only for chilly but dry days

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